Helpless of all that human wants require.
Dryden.
-- Help"less*ly, adv. -- Help"less*ness, n.
Help"mate` (?), n. [A corruption of the "help meet for him" of Genesis
ii. 18.Fitzedward Hall.] A helper; a companion; specifically, a wife.
In Minorca the ass and the hog are common helpmates, and are yoked
together in order to turn up the land.
Pennant.
A waiting woman was generally considered as the most suitable
helpmate for a parson.
Macaulay.
Help"meet` (?), n. [See Helpmate.] A wife; a helpmate.
The Lord God created Adam, . . . and afterwards, on his finding the
want of a helpmeet, caused him to sleep, and took one of his ribs
and thence made woman.
J. H. Newman.
Hel"ter-skel"ter (?), adv. [An onomat&?;poetic word. Cf. G.
holter-polter, D. holder de bolder.] In hurry and confusion; without
definite purpose; irregularly. [Colloq.]
Helter-skelter have I rode to thee.
Shak.
A wistaria vine running helter-skelter across the roof.
J. C. Harris.
Helve (?), n. [OE. helve, helfe, AS. hielf, helf, hylf, cf. OHG. halb;
and also E. halter, helm of a rudder.] 1. The handle of an ax, hatchet,
or adze.
2. (Iron Working) (a) The lever at the end of which is the hammer head,
in a forge hammer. (b) A forge hammer which is lifted by a cam acting
on the helve between the fulcrum and the head.
Helve, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Helved (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Helving.] To
furnish with a helve, as an ax.
Hel*ve"tian (?), a. Same as Helvetic. -- n. A Swiss; a Switzer.
Hel*ve"tic (?), a. [L. Helveticus, fr. Helvetii the Helvetii.] Of or
pertaining to the Helvetii, the ancient inhabitant of the Alps, now
Switzerland, or to the modern states and inhabitant of the Alpine
regions; as, the Helvetic confederacy; Helvetic states.
{ Hel"vine (?), Hel"vite (?), } n. [L. helvus of a light bay color.]
(Min.) A mineral of a yellowish color, consisting chiefly of silica,
glucina, manganese, and iron, with a little sulphur.
Hem (hm), pron. [OE., fr. AS. him, heom, dative pl. of. h he. See He,
They.] Them [Obs.] Chaucer.
Hem, interj. An onomatopoetic word used as an expression of hesitation,
doubt, etc. It is often a sort of voluntary half cough, loud or
subdued, and would perhaps be better expressed by hm.
Cough or cry hem, if anybody come.
Shak.
Hem, n. An utterance or sound of the voice, hem or hm, often indicative
of hesitation or doubt, sometimes used to call attention. "His morning
hems." Spectator.
Hem, v. i. [√15. See Hem, interj.] To make the sound expressed by
the word hem; hence, to hesitate in speaking. "Hem, and stroke thy
beard." Shak.
Hem, n. [AS. hem, border, margin; cf. Fries. h‰mel, Prov. G. hammel hem
of mire or dirt.] 1. The edge or border of a garment or cloth, doubled
over and sewed, to strengthen it and prevent raveling.